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Elections on Trial Project: Inaugural Meeting of the Africa Electoral Jurisprudence Working Group
IFES is working to establish regional peer networks of election arbiters, which allow judges and election commissioners to discuss best practices and share comparative examples of how other countries deal with specific categories of complaints and disputes. Following the inaugural meeting of the Europe and Eurasia Electoral Jurisprudence Network in Lithuania last year, the pilot Africa network event took place in South Africa on April 16-17.
Publication
Report/Paper
Regional Director on “Political Campaign Finance: Safeguarding Electoral Integrity in Africa"
As part of its annual report, the Wilson Center Africa Program asked IFES Regional Director for Africa Rushdi Nackerdien to contribute an essay on campaign finance. His piece, “Political Campaign Finance: Safeguarding Electoral Integrity in Africa,” examined the role of election management bodies in fostering accountability and transparency.
January 29, 2019
News & Updates
Feature
Elections on Trial Project: Inaugural Meeting of the Europe and Eurasia Electoral Jurisprudence Working Group
IFES is working to establish peer networks in Europe and Eurasia and Africa, supported by the United States Agency for International Development. Regional knowledge exchange allows judges and election commissioners to discuss best practices and share comparative examples of how other countries deal with specific categories of complaints and disputes.
Publication
Report/Paper
Lithuania: Money and Politics Case Study
Lithuania has rapidly developed both politically and economically since emerging from the Soviet Union in 1991. While the country has built a functioning parliamentary system of government, has become a member of NATO, and is on the verge of joining the European Union, it still faces many problems associated with the many consolidating democracies around the world. As in all democracies, populations need to trust that those they elect will represent their interests. Problems such as corruption, weaknesses in laws concerning the political financing, and unaccounted for political income and expenditures threaten the credibility of the process and hinder the speed at which democracy is consolidated. Additionally, Lithuania lacks the high level of vibrant debate about the issue of political financing among scholars, journalists and civil society bodies required to promote meaningful reform. Recognizing this, Lithuania has developed an independent Central Electoral Committee (CEC) and adopted laws requiring detailed and public disclosure of political finance accounts. Prior to conducting Money and Politics programming in Lithuania, the CEC had made a demonstrable interest in making information public. While scanning summary report of accounts and placing them on the internet, the user could not search, not easily compare and analyze the information. Interested parties were required to make an appointment to view more detailed, paper-based information. Further, while the Tax Authorities are required to audit final political party reports, enforcement is widely considered to be weak. Few, if any, cases of political finance violations have been forwarded and investigated, not to mention prosecuted. By addressing the difficult issues surrounding political finance with the support of IFES in 2002 and 2003, Lithuania is emerging as a model for other consolidating democracy to follow. Significant areas remain to be addressed. While Lithuania has taken concrete steps to reform political finance legislation, open political finance information to public scrutiny and oversight, and encourage debate, further efforts are required to actively enforce laws and regulations and raise the level of debate among the various governmental, legislative, and civil society groups. By addressing these areas, Lithuania has the potential for being an example of best practices while making local expertise and resources to other countries undergoing similar reforms.
December 31, 2002
Election Material
Civic Education Material
Ballot 99: South Africa Votes
The May/June 1999 edition of Ballot 99: South Africa Votes, published by Independent Newspapers, provides voter information, political party policy stances, election articles, cartoons, and advertisements, as well as interviews with South African citizens and their stances on current issues. Also included in this edition is a message from South African president Nelson Mandela that urges the public to exercise their right to vote.
Election Material
Civic Education Material
Collection of Voter Education Materials from South Africa: Flyers, Posters, Instructions, etc.
This document contains a collection of posters, flyers and civic education literature pertaining to the 1994 national elections in South Africa. Included are posters with the exact date of the election and pamphlets depicting the voting and registration process. The material was part of an effort made to provide voter education to the large swath of the South African population who had been denied voting rights until this time.
Election Material
Civic Education Material
Hello Voters for the New South Africa
Hello Voters for the New South Africa is a pre-election magazine that introduces the political organizations participating in the upcoming 1994 national elections. Each political organization’s manifesto, constitution, and answers to citizens’ questions are provided. Also included are the pictures and short biographies on the five senior members of each political organization.
Election Material
Civic Education Material
You Your Vote and the Elections
“You Your Vote and the Elections” was published in 1994 in the lead up to the first elections in South Africa to have universal adult suffrage. The booklet, published by Black Slash and the Independent Forum for Electoral Education (IFEE), describes the structure of the new South African parliament and constitutional assembly, as well as, who can vote and how the process of voting works. The booklet was aimed at filling the knowledge gap that existed around the electoral process as a significant portion of South African’s had previously been denied voting rights.